Indiana Blog Review

Purged Precincts

Scott Tibbs notes that purging the bloated voter rolls in Monroe County (all those former students) will lead to local redistricting and ensuing turmoil.

Camm Glam

Scott Fluhr explains how a years-old, local murder sensation has propelled a Southern Indiana prosecutor into a rising Republican star.

Trouble in Harrison County II

Scott Fluhr updates us on the Harrison County Courthouse scandal.

Baron von Hill

Scott Fluhr has a couple of interesting thoughts on Baron Hill:

• In Jeffersonville, Baron Hill outlined his hopes on the first issues to be handled by the next Congress. Curiously missing from that list was his proposal to reform the ethics committee. Perhaps, now that he is back in office, Hill doesn't want to be overseen by people with the experience to know what is going on and why.
• Hill is interestingly mum on a question about the possibility of a run for governor . . .

The Bloody 9th?

Scott Tibbs:

I've been watching election results come in, and it is way too early to call anything. Some media organizations are already calling the 9th District Congressional race for Baron Hill, but we may not have the full election results for a few days because of absentee ballots. There have been very disturbing reports of attempted voter fraud and ballot tampering, so we'll see how that turns out.

Trouble in Harrison County

Scott Fluhr looks into a scandal brewing down south:

So what does all of this mean? First, it means that Shawn Donahue is in a universe of trouble. He potentially violated state and federal election laws by entering a restricted area and being in proximity to the ballots and election materials. He used county equipment and material for political purposes. He is a Democratic partisan, an employee of the county, and a former worker for Baron Hill.

Second, it calls into question the activities of certain Harrison County Democrats. At the very least, their party has illegally used county equipment and resources (folding machines, copiers, toner, possibly paper) for a political mailing. An elected Democratic official, either Pat Wolfe or Rena Stepro, may have given Donahue the key to the restricted area that he entered on the surveillance tapes. On the furthest extreme, there could have been election fraud committed while having access to the ballots, election equipment, and so forth.

Update:  More developments, more culpability.

The Fightin' 9th

Scott Fluhr gives extensive coverage from the final debate in the 9th District here and here.

The Fightin' 9th

Scott Fluhr comments on Bush's visit to help out Mike Sodrel and the situation in the 9th District.

He also looks at recent polling and the spoiler effect of Shansberg.

And finally, a review of Hill and Sodrel's appearance on WTHR's "Indiana Insiders."

Harrison and a Battle

Scott Fluhr summarizes the race for Harrison County Council.

Here's Johnny

Advance Indiana expresses his skepticism over Howey's Political Report that John Hostettler is giving up on his campaign in the Bloody 8th.  Taking Down Words also pours cold water on the idea.

Ok, Two Three Funny Things Happened on the Way to the Forum

Scott Fluhr has a couple of few posts recounting the Candidates' Forum on Women at the Ogle Center on the IUS campus from last week here and here and here.

The Fightin' 70th

Scott Fluhr profiles the House race in Indiana's 70th district.

The Fightin' 9th

TDW notes that the website for "the Bloomington-based 'Citizens for Truth' group that devoted thousands of dollars in 2004 to hateful billboards and radio ads smearing Baron Hill's personal reputation" was recently scrubbed after she sent out a press release "asking the Internal Revenue Service and the Federal Election Commission to look into any possible coordination between the two groups or any improper political advocacy."

Scott Fluhr, digs deeper:

A brief reading of Wikipedia's article on 527s pops the TDW balloon rather quickly, however sordid the allegations and dastardly the possibilities it implies.

The Fightin' 9th

TPM Muckraker and Doug Masson have more on the robocalling for Sodrel.

More on Monroe

It's an anagram, see?

Anyway, Mr. Tibbs has more on local news down south.

GreenAway

New Alb Annie chimes in with a report on the New Albany Greenway.

The Brief Booking of Buju Banton

The Bloomington GBLT community scored a big win by pressuring the Bluebird nightclub to cancel a performance by anti-gay bigot Reggae performed Buju Banton.  Follow the blogger coverage here, here, here, here, and here.

B-Town

Mr. Tibbs has some short, and interesting, notes on local politics in Monroe County.

Running Scared

Scott Tibbs wonders why 9th District candidate Baron Hill gave a closed-door speech to the IU College Democrats.

Nepotism in Monroe Co.

Scott Tibbs says that there are major problems in the Monroe County Auditor's office, and the local media are ignoring it.

Spotlight on the Bloody 8th

via Torpor Indy, Kos on Ellsworth/Hostettler.

The Fightin' 9th

Madcasey liveblogged the Hill-Sodrel-Schansberg debate.

MORE: from Scott Fluhr.

New Albany Greenways

New Alb Annie has an update.

Slumlords

New Alb Annie:

But Bloomington has figured out something that New Albany hasn't—how to effectively control problems like excessive trash and substandard rental housing. I uncovered this information on a website for students who lease property in Bloomington. It's simple and could be implemented in New Albany if the political will can be mustered.

The Bloody 8th

HoosierPlew asks, "Is Ellsworth just another DiNO?"

The Fightin' 9th

Mark Rutherford reports that, "Eric Schansberg, Libertarian candidate for 9th District US House, has received a formal invitation from public television station WTIU to participate in a debate for all three candidates on August 31st. It will be broadcast on WTIU in Bloomington. Schansberg is accepting the invitation and the terms proposed for the debate."

Orange County Casino Lawsuit

Advance Indiana takes another look at how Orange County casino backers Lauth Property Group and Cook Group are wrangling in the courts.

Smell a Rat

New Alb Annie wonders about the Floyd County Health Dept.:

The local Health Department apparently does have the authority to order the property owner to exterminate; they just have chosen not to do so. I wonder why? It would be a matter of a letter ordering extermination and follow-up. Isn't that what we pay the Health Department for?

Bill and Hill

Rob at CHD reports with pictures from Bill Clinton's recent fundraising event for Baron Hill.

No Gambling on Welch

Scott Tibbs:

No Republican bothered to file for the District 60 State Representative seat now held by Peggy Welch, and the GOP was unable to find anyone willing to take her on this fall. This says a lot for Welch's political power, considering she represents a district with a sizeable Republican majority. Welch's personal likeability and her conservative stances on social issues like homosexual marriage and abortion have contributed to her thumping three consecutive Republican challengers after winning a close race against Jeff Ellington in 1998 . . .

Welch may be asset to conservatives when Republicans have the majority, but she is a liability to conservative causes when her vote allows Democrats to control the Speaker's chair and committee chairmanships.

A Spolier?

Doug Masson:

Eric Schansberg, Libertarian Candidate for Indiana’s 9th District, has his website up. It will be interesting to see what role Mr. Schansberg has to play in what looks to be one of the most hotly contested districts in the country.

Openly Political

Scott Tibbs reports on some corporate welfare in Bloomington -- for Planned Parenthood.

Trouble Down South

The New Albany corner of the Hoosier Blogosphere is alive with the sounds of scandal.

New Alb Annie:

Much has been stated regarding the condition of New Albany's sewers and sewer department finances, and currently, the EPA is conducting an investigation into the matter. It's about time.

Obviously, city administration has never been able, and still is unable or unwilling, to get a handle on the myriad problems that our sewer system has. My household was a victim for many years of mismanagement, blatant dishonesty and violation of Federal law by city officials—from the Mayor, to the sewer board at the time, to various and sundry city employees and even a few private citizens. I'm one of hundreds who found themselves in the same boat, or are finding out they are in it now.

East Ender posted the documents and has lots more commentary over at Speak Out Loud.

Update: New Alb Annie has more thoughts.

South Toronto?

lawgeekgurl points out that Rep. John Hostettler (R-08) pissed off Canada.  This is a problem because?

(ht: Torpor Indy)

News Flash: Politicians Two-Faced

Scott Tibbs:

This underscores a common criticism of [former Rep. Baron] Hill, that he talks like Nancy Pelosi in Bloomington while painting himself as a "blue dog" conservative Democrat in the rest of the Ninth District.

Baron Hill wants to have a debate, but he could have a debate all by himself . . .

Even the Herald-Times has taken note of Hill's inconsistency. . .

Hostettler

Doug Masson has a couple of posts up about John Hostettler (R-IN08).  First, Masson finds evidence that he support mass deportations of illegal immigrants.  Second, an unusual tactic:

Usually it’s the challenger who complains that the incumbent won’t debate him or there won’t be enough debates or something along those lines. In Indiana’s 9th District, challenger Baron Hill has already started that line of attack against Mike Sodrel.

But, in the 8th District, for whatever reason, incumbent John Hostettler is complaining that his challenger, hasn’t pushed for debates early enough. Ellsworth’s campaign gave the equivalent of a shrug with his spokesperson saying, “It’s a little early, but I’m sure we’ll have debates.”

Something to watch, I suppose.

In a Pickle

Scott Tibbs comments from Monroe County, "Democrats in charge of county government have gotten the budget into a real pickle. Despite warnings from the Sheriff, the Democratic majority on the County Council under funded the fuel budget for 2006, actually approving figures that were lower than the 2005 budget. Of course, fuel prices have gone up since that budget was approved."

Local News

Scott Tibbs tells us about the Bloomington Township Board meeting.

PACMen

NA Confidential reports the PAC contributions for both Mike Sodrel and Baron Hill.

SLOTUS

Scott Fluhr has original reporting from Lynn Cheney's visit to the Harrison County Lincoln Day Dinner.

Gender Identity

Bil Browning has the update on the City of Bloomington's pending adoption of gender identity protections.

The Finer Things

The New Albanian has Louisville-envy:

Imagine living in a place where concepts like “arts and cultural ecology” are the subject of serious discussion and not the target of adolescent chortles from the leading spokesmen of New Albany’s Gang of Four councilmen and their Luddite acolytes.

Regional Balance

So you know more than enough about blogs in Ft. Wayne and Indy?  Check out NA Confidential, a really excellent weblog out of New Albany, who also have a hefty blogroll.

Hill to Challenge Sodrel

Taking Down Words: U.S. Rep. Baron Hill is back.